Filing system



R. J. WOOD FILING SYSTEM Sept. 1', 1925.

'- ,L Filed Feb. 7, 1921 324 A @wML/J 4 EMS/ga Patented Sept. 1, 1925.

UNITED STAT-ES PATENT OFFICE.

RODNEY .1. W001), or DAYTON, OHIO.

FILING- SYSTEM.

Application filed February 7, .1921. Serial No. 443,211.

systems and more particularly to'a visible index or guide by whichany one of a series or group of sheets, cards or leaves may be readily and quickly selected.

The object of the invention is to simplify the systems whereby they will not only be inexpensive but will be more efficient in operation, compact, and readily accessible to enable the selection of the desired card, sheet or leaf with minimum movement.

A further object of theinvention is to afford guide indications for the individual sheets or cards of an entire group which will be simultaneously visible, yet arranged in certain associations with the respective 26 cards, sheets or leaves, as to aflorddirection guidance to the corresponding record mem ber.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means wherein particu- 3 lar cards, leaves, or datasheets may be temporarily tabbed or flagged to distinguish such cards or sheets from others of the series, without interfering with the selection of the cards or obstructing the view of the guide indications. V

lVith the above primary and other incidental objects in view as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation or their equivalents as hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a 46 perspective view of a portion of a, card index filing system, embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a detail view of a modi- .fication, of the guide or index indication. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of the guide ordivision card. Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively a guide tab and a flagging or signal ev'erlay therefor. Fig. 6 is a detail view of a, modified form of guide tab as employed in. Fig. 2. {Like parts are indicated by similar charthe reference sheets 2. Theseguide indicaacters of reference thruout the several views.

The present invention is applicable to not only card index records for stock, name guides, accounting purposes or other records, but may also be applied torecord books in which the leaves are bound or assembled in the usual bookform. In the preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in Fig. 1, 1- 1 represents a series of guide or division cards intermediate which are positioned groups of record or reference sheets 2. The reference orrecord sheets 2 are of less height than the guide or division cards 1, and are formed with a series of o-verlapping cut-outs or tabs 3, each of difi'erent extent and progressively overlapping the next succeeding sheet or card of the series. The sheets bearing these tabs are assembled or arranged in such manner that the cut-outs or tabs will overlap in a continuous step succession. Thus the exposed or overlapping portion of the tab of each sheet or card is at all'times visible. The exposed portion of the guide or-division card 1 extending beyond the record or reference sheet 2 carries a series of index indications, alined or registering with the exposed portions of the successive tabs 3 of tions may be written, drawn or printed directly upon the guide or division card 1, and permanently positionedthereon. However, for convenience, the guide indications or entries are preferably made upon detachable tags 5, which'comprise short strips of paper or flexible cardboard, the end of which are engageable beneath inturned retaining edges .6, located upon the guide or division card, 1-. These tags 5 are preferably substantally equal inwidth to the exposed portions of the tabs 3 of the reference sheets. By flexing. the tag 5 as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3 and inserting the ends of the tag beneath theinturned or overhanging ledges or flanges 6 of the guide or division card,-the tag may 'be detachably engaged therewith. It is capable of lateral adjustment within the guide flanges 6 to a position in registry with the exposed portion of the tab 3 of the corresponding data sheet 2. The guide or division card has a capacity for index tags equal to the number of-reference sheets or cards so that one index tag is provided for each exposed tab 3. By .110

inserting a knife blade, small spatula or selecting implein'ent behihd ,the'overlyin; reference sheet or card, and tiltingsucli overlying sheetforwardly, the sheet or card 2 corresponding to any inde jndication by the guide card 1 may be readily selected. It will be understood that the exposedporti'on of the tab of the corresponding sheet or card is always alined or in reg-istiy livith the index indication, Whether the latter be directly neon the ghide eaiuor division card 1 or upon a detachable tag carried thereby;

In lieu of placing these ihdex' tags .at riglitaiigles totlie sheet, as shown in Fig; 1, the iii def; tags may be arranged diagonally or at "an inhlinatioi'i a's'in Fig.2; This win afford a sngtu ioeger tag, audit the rec 'ord sheets are to'be read in averticai or up right position, the reading o-f-theguide indication Willbe facilitated. The data sheets and division or guide cards need not necessarily bearrangedvertically as shoyvn'in th'e drawings, butjthe groiip at cards and sheets as shown in Fig. l inightbe turned on end as "Will be readily understood by turning the "drawing into a recumbent position toward the right; The same i'ecumbent position of the drawing wiuserire to illustrate the application of this invention to the leaves offa book. In such'inst'ahde the guideor "division cards 1 team beflhtersp'ersedbetween the leaves or h rested seek, the margi s or the leaves beiffg indented or tabbed as are the sheets or cards 2 of the 'The 'gu id'eindieations or entries upon-the fe'X- poseamargit of the div a at guide tare-s 1 Whether made directly upo'ii suclicard or upon aemhatietags's vouldb'e 's'itioried i registry vvith the,evipbsedportions joif the tabs'oi the book leaves; gHehce the searcher vv ould be led 'directly to the desired nam n as ,the exp sed portion of "the p 1 tab will be fou'nd in registry with the 'corresp' onding guide indication.

In the'evei'it that it'is "desired to flag "or signal ahy particular leai said or reierence sheet,fas forinst-a'nce a en icohtaiiiihg a closed account or one Ivvhich is' sl'o'vv or bad,

at 'vvhenthe'recoi d ape-n t le esrresesna ng abs nt b m a W e t cmpation, character or type, an overlay 7 I shown in 5 of some transparent colored materialsuoh as f cell u'loid is' inserted over the corresponding guide indicated upon the exposed portion of the/card 1'- This fturired or ovrha'n ia nafiges 6 0f the di- 7 visitsoi guide ce-rd 1:, by which the overlay is retained position. The use of -'a trans parent colored cover-7 serves to'atti'actfthe the sheets at the group and projeeting tli'e'rebeyond, said guide member having thereon 1 two parallel overhanging ledges, arid- 21- series of'id'entificati'oh tags positioned close ly adjacent to each other Withtheir oppo=- site ends engaged beneath the overhangii'i-g ledges, the identification tags pertaining to difierent sheets being registered Ivvith the exposed portions of jtliebiis'et tabs thereof;

2. In i'ndeX system, embodying a pin ralityotgroupjs of sheets havingpregressively asset tab portions, a series of guide cards interleaved between the --groups of sheets "and 'ot great'erheigh't than the sheets beyond which they *e Xtend, said sheets and guides being hapable of oscillatory in"oveme tin unison 'to enable the opening of the file awa selected point, a plurality of re iaavatle identification tags 0116 ito'r each sheet of th'ec'o'rresp'oh'dii-rg group carried the exposed portion of each guide member, the ear-responding tags {being in; registry vviththe ex ojse'd portions of theotfset-tabs erthe'respecu've sheets. 1

an ihdeic system, ag roep or sheets having progressiveiyofisa tab portioi is, 'g'u de'oard ifor such-group of greater height than the sheet, a series of removable identification tags carried by said guide Gard, one

inieg'ist-ry Withfthe ex-posed portion of the offset tab olt' each sheet, and a transversely arranged pocket upon the guide card coniampnto a series of tags within whichthe ends of the tags are tucked side by side.

4-. An index system embodying a/group er sheets with rogressively "onset tab portions, a guide member common to all the f'sheets of the group and extending {therebeyond, identification means iorthe respecguid'e "member, the identification means *for each she t beingj registered with the exposed 'portionfof the overlapping tab of such sheet, and "a transparent co'lored maskideta'c'hably engagea ble With the guide member "over any one 'ofthe 'sh'eet-lndic'ati'ng means for signal purposes.

5. An index system embodying a' grofup of sheets with progressively .oiiset tab pj n "ti ve "sheets upon tl'ie exposed portion of the tions, a guide member common to all the sheets of the group and extending therebeyond, oppositely disposed pockets on the exposed portion of the guide member, a series of independent identification tags, the ends of which are insertable in the respective ppositely disposed pockets, there being a tag for each sheet, each tag being positioned in registry with the overlapping portion of the sheet to which it pertains.

6.'An index system embodying a group of leaves having progressively oflset tab portions, a guide member common to all the with difi'erent leaves of the group.

7 The combination with a channeled supporting member having intermediate the channels a succession of data entries, of a plurality of transparent colored overlays for the data entries the ends of which are engageable within and disengageable from the channels of the supporting member without disturbance of the data entries.

8. Selective indicating means for a card system or the like, comprising the combination with an index member having thereon a succession of indicative data entries, an

idependent detachable transparent colored mask adapted to cover any selected data entry, through which the entry may be observed and means for supporting the mask upon the index member for removal and replacement without disturbance of the index data entry. 7

9. Selective indicating means for a card system orthe like, comprising the combination with an index member, ofa plurality of guide tags and a plurality of transparent colored masks for said tags, and means for independently and detachably engaging the guide tags and cover masks to said index member whereby a colored mask may be applied to any tag of the plurality and re moved without disturbing the guide tags.

10. In a construction of the character de scribed, a supporting "member having inturned channel flanges, a plurality of flexible guide tags detachably engageable with the support by inserting their opposite ends beneath the inturned channeled flanges, and

a colored transparent mask also detachably engageable with the support by inserting its opposite ends beneath the inturned channeled flanges independent of the engaged guide tags, but in overlying relation with one of said tags, said mask being engageable and removable without disturbing the engaged tags.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of January A. D.

RODNEY J. WOOD. 

